Body Image: Do you weigh yourself too much?

Scaling Back

It’s the number few women want to share, and some don’t even want to know themselves: those digits on the scale. But, while many women fixate — and base their self-esteem — on pounds, your actual weight is really only one element in overall health — and not necessarily the most important one.

“It’s part of the picture,” says Dee Lonergan, a dietitian at the Glenville Hannaford. “Like when you get bloodwork at the doctor, your cholesterol is just one part of the results that paint the whole picture.”

Women’s obsession with that number isn’t surprising given the many social cues telling us it’s all that matters. Shows like The Biggest Loser are all about the pounds that are shed and magazines regularly show people holding up their “fat pants” with a number — the pounds they hope they’ve left behind forever — printed next to them.

Because weight is so emotional and personal, however, many women can’t look at that figure on the scale objectively. The number itself or a change of even a couple pounds make some feel anger or even resentment toward themselves, says Stuart Erner, a Guilderland doctor who specializes in bariatric medicine.

Part of this comes from excessive weigh-ins. He, and other experts, define “excessive” as anything more than once a week. “If someone is getting up and weighing themselves every day, they are starting their day feeling like a failure and having low self-esteem,” Erner says.

If you’re weighing yourself at home, you should not only stick to a once-a-week regime, but you should also step on the same scale at the same time of day on the same day of the week wearing the same thing. A similar pre-scale routine is also important.

Ideally, weigh yourself in the morning. Get up, use the bathroom, and get on the scale. Once that’s out of the way, you can go about your morning, including eating and drinking.

And before you berate yourself for gaining a pound, remember this: Dozens of factors affect body weight — water retention from flying or eating more sodium than usual, premenstrual syndrome or even a lack of sleep can all add a pound or two.

Weighing yourself too frequently can lead you to conclude — falsely — the reasons behind the change, experts say. “You think you gained two pounds from eating that pizza last night,” says Lonergan.

But that’s not really possible.

A pound is made up of 3,500 calories. So, in theory, to gain one pound, you have to eat 3,500 calories more that you typically take in, and your exercise (or lack thereof) for that day would also have to be the same or less.

“Usually for people if they weigh themselves too much it becomes too much of a focus on that number rather than exercising more or eating healthier,” Lonergan says. “People who do that often become frustrated.”

It’s natural to want to weigh yourself more often when you’re zipping along on a successful diet, says Maureen Farrell, a registered dietitian and director of community wellness with the Capital District YMCA. Let’s say you are losing five pounds a week. That is, roughly, a pound a day. If weight loss is a goal, that progress is exciting, so it’s natural to want to track it closely.

But, even when you are making steady progress, Farrell advises against the daily weigh-in. That’s not healthy for anyone.

While seeing a number dip on the scale can be satisfying, true weight-loss is about maintenance, says Farrell. “It’s easy to lose weight. It’s harder to maintain the weight they have lost,” she says. “Keeping it off over time requires self-monitoring.”

While incessant weighing can be a sign of a problem, avoiding the scale entirely can also create an issue, experts say.

Some women, for instance, turn their backs to the weighted bars when at the doctor’s. They think not knowing will keep them from worrying, but that attitude can be as unhealthy as the daily visit with the scale. “You want to be aware of what’s going on,” says Farrell. “It’s a lot easier to lose five pounds than to wait until you’ve gained 30.”

That’s why some self-monitoring is crucial — as long as you keep in mind the right numbers. Besides knowing your weight in pounds, it’s good to be aware of your body mass index or body composition analysis. Both can be done at home, with more sophisticated scales, or in a doctor’s office.

Essentially, this is about knowing your overall makeup. A 180-pound woman who is primarily muscle is healthier than another 180-pound women with little muscle tone.

“It takes a big effort to de-emphasize that number on the scale,” says Erner. But often these tests can do it. Understanding your body’s composition helps to point out what you need to work on and how you can improve.

Other measurements are as simple as having an awareness of your energy level or how your clothes fit. Women have a pretty keen sense of their bodies, says Erner. They can sense fluctuations, changes and differences, but oftentimes that one pair of jeans — the “gauge pants,” if you will — really confirms what’s going on. If they pull up and zip closed easily, you’re where you want to be. If, on the other hand, getting on your favorite Rock & Republics requires jumping around the room to yank them up and ends with you on your back trying to flatten your stomach to get the zipper in place, it may be time to get back on that scale, and back to the gym.

And, remember, once you’re back, if you don’t see the movement you want at the pace you‘d like, don’t get discouraged. “Most people engaging in a weight-loss program will hit a plateau,” Erner says. “It’s a temporary situation. It can last weeks, or a couple of months, but eventually you’ll get past it.”

The Basics

If you choose to weigh yourself, try to follow these rules:

Always use the same scale.

Weigh yourself in the morning, after going to the bathroom and before eating or drinking.

Never weigh yourself multiple times in one day.

Better to skip the scale the morning after an extremely indulgent meal or banquet or weekend. Give yourself at least 48 hours — maybe longer — to assess the true damage.

Consider a high-quality home scale that also measures body fat composition to keep the emphasis on your muscle-to-fat ratio.

Don’t assume because you weigh the same as you did five years ago your body composition is the same. Metabolism changes with age, making it harder to maintain essential lean muscle.

Weighing In …The Pros and Cons

Daily

Pros: Best for women who are reasonably comfortable with their current scale weight and want to maintain it. Some research has shown this daily check-in can be “highly motivating” for a subset of women trying to maintain weight loss.

Cons: It can be psychologically and physically disastrous for anyone who is neurotically weight-obsessed or prone to eating disorders.

Once a Week

Pros: A weekly weigh-in can be helpful to anyone devoted to a diet and exercise regimen who wants to track the results of their efforts. For some, it’s a better barometer of success or setbacks because so many variables can affect weight within a 24-hour period. Ultimately, it tends to give a more accurate picture of your results.

Cons: Not beneficial if it’s your only barometer of fitness. Some experts suggest using a tape measure to assess your waist and hip circumference can be an even better tool for evaluating whether you’re meeting your goals.

Never

Pros: Experts in this camp believe the best way to measure up is by focusing on different health statistics, such as your muscle-to-fat ratio, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and even the fit of your favorite pair of skinny jeans.

Cons: Pounds can creep up if you’re not scrupulously honest about what you see in the mirror or the way your jeans fit.